Mississippi River Canoe Trip

Have you ever seen the Chickasaw Bluffs from the Mississippi River? If not, this is the trip for you. Take a 3 day/2 night canoe trip down a 58 mile portion of the Mississippi River in West Tennessee with John Ruskey of the Quapaw Canoe Company.

December 12-14, 2008
See Chickasaw Bluffs Nos 1, 2, 3 & 4 from Ft. Pillow to Memphis, Tennessee
58 river miles

Narrative: Fabulous views of the Chickasaw Bluffs along the Western edge of the state of Tennessee and adjacent bottomland hardwood forests, including the bluffs at Fort Pillow (1st Chickasaw Bluff), Richardson’s Landing (2nd Chickasaw Bluff), Meeman-Shelby State Forest (3rd Chickasaw Bluff) and finally the sweeping view of the Memphis skyline, including the Memphis Bridge and the Pyramid, and downtown Memphis (which straddles the 4th Chickasaw Bluff). The vista from the river is unparalleled! Points of interest include Anderson-Tully Wildlife Management Area, The mouth of the Hatchie River, Meeman-Shelby Forest State Park and the mouth of the Loosahatchie River. The vista from the river is unparalleled! You've never seen downtown Memphis if you haven’t viewed it from the river! Cost depends on number going. For 6 or more its $55/day/person + shuttle. 5=$65/day. 4=$75. 3=$85. Shuttle will be divided between participants, should run between $45 & $65 each (to pay for transportation & driver to start place).

Put in at Ashport, and take out at the foot of Beale Street in the Memphis Harbor. Total mileage = 58 miles on the Mississippi River. Meet in Memphis morning of Day I, camp two nights, take out afternoon/evening Day III.

Day I:
Shuttle: Meet at Memphis Yacht Club, 6am
Put-In: Put in Ashport Landing, 9am
Camp I: Lookout Bar (an island opposite the 2nd Chickasaw Bluff)
Points of Interest: Fort Pillow Bluffs (1st Chickasaw Bluff), Anderson-Tully Wildlife Management Area, The mouth of the Hatchie River, Richardson's Bluff (2nd Chickasaw Bluff: massive red, blue orange & grey bluffs collapsing into main channel. Fantastic scenery! A colorful muddy "glacier" calving into the river!)

Day II:
Camp II: Island 35
Points of Interest: Island Archipelago "Hen & the Chicks," Richardson's Bluff (2nd Chickasaw Bluff), Dean Island Chute.


Day III:
Take-Out: Memphis Harbor, 3 p.m. (subject to change)
Points of Interest: The mouth of the Hatchie River, Meeman-Shelby Forest State Park (3rd Chickasaw Bluff), Brandywine Chute, Hickman Bar, Mouth of the Loosahatchie River, Mud Island, I-40 Bridge, the Pyramid and downtown Memphis (4th Chickasaw Bluff)

All expeditions are outfitted with first-aid kits, rescue ropes, life preservers, cellular communication, and VHF marine radio. Please remember itinerary is dependent on river level and prevailing weather.

When on the river, there is no time but "River Time."

More more information, or to register for this trip, please email Keith Kirkland of the Wolf River Conservancy.